Metro News: Gurugram Metro to Now Run on World Bank Support; Budget Doubled—Find Out How Many Thousands of Crores Will Be Spent

Haryana Cabinet: A significant decision regarding the Gurugram Metro was taken during the Haryana Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Nayab Singh Saini. The Gurugram Metro project will now be executed with the support of the World Bank.

Gurugram Metro Update: During the Haryana Cabinet meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, a decision was taken to implement a major change regarding the Gurugram Metro. Specifically, the Haryana government has approved a revised project cost of ₹10,266.54 crore for the Gurugram Metro's 'Millennium City Centre to Cyber ​​City' corridor.

What Exactly is the Full Story?

During the Haryana Cabinet meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, a major decision was taken to approve a revised project cost of ₹10,266.54 crore for the 'Millennium City Centre to Cyber ​​City' corridor. Notably, this amount is reported to be more than double the originally approved cost of ₹5,452.72 crore. Furthermore, the Haryana Cabinet has also given the green signal to a proposal for securing a soft loan through the World Bank to fund the project, which includes the Rapid Metro and the Gurugram Railway Station spur.

What is the Real Reason Behind the Cost Increase?

According to an official spokesperson, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this 28.50 km long corridor—which will comprise 27 stations—was originally approved back in August 2020. However, this massive increase in cost has been observed due to various factors, including price escalation between 2019 and 2023, revised GST rates, requirements for additional infrastructure, changes in the alignment plan, depot facilities, rolling stock, and the inclusion of a new metro spur connecting to the Gurugram Railway Station.

Soft Loan Now to be Secured from the World Bank

Meanwhile, the original budget for this project included a soft loan component of ₹2,688.57 crore—of which ₹1,075.428 crore was to be sourced from the World Bank and ₹1,613.14 crore from the European Investment Bank (EIB). However, due to persistent delays in obtaining approval from the EIB, a decision has now been taken to ensure that the project timeline remains unaffected; consequently, the World Bank will now finance the portion originally allocated to the EIB.

To ensure the smooth execution of the project, the Administrative Secretary of Haryana's Town and Country Planning Department has been designated as the Nodal Officer. This metro corridor will not only connect Gurugram's busiest urban hubs but will also make commuting significantly easier for passengers compared to current conditions.

New Enhancements to Infrastructure

Furthermore, the Haryana Cabinet has given the green light for the development of a depot and associated facilities for the Rapid Metro on 22.86 hectares of government land in Sector-33. Moreover, to enhance multimodal connectivity and ensure a comfortable commute for passengers, the proposed 1.80-km-long metro spur connecting the Sector-5 station to the Gurugram Railway Station has also received final approval, paving the way for a complete transformation of the infrastructure.